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beverleywood

Mar 11, 2004, 6:13 AM

Post #1 of 11 (1175 views)

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Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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We tried to turn in our car permit and one banjercito in Nuevo Laredo and were told we needed to do it at the border (the banjercito was about 10 blocks away from the border). At the border, there was nowhere to do it...

So here we are in Texas, with our permit (runs out the end of May). We are leaving at the end of the month. Is there any OTHER way other than crossing again? As we are winding our way home, we thought we would rent a hotel in Nogales AZ, leave me, the dog, and all of our luggage in the hotel and my husband will drive back across to turn it in (car is in his name).

Is there another way? Will a mexican consulate take it? Can we turn it in on the Arizona side of Nogales? Are there any banjercitos there? Or Mexican customs branches?

Thanks for any help! Bev

mkdutch

Mar 11, 2004, 7:05 AM

Post #2 of 11 (1154 views)

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Re: [beverleywood] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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Yes. Probably the easiest place to do it would be at the new crossing west of downtown - drive in as if you are going to cross the border, but swing into the area to your left just inside the USA side of the border and ask the USA or Mexican Authorities there where to go.

Bubba

Mar 11, 2004, 7:29 AM

Post #3 of 11 (1138 views)

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Re: [beverleywood] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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Your problem is that you went to the first "banjercito" which, as you say, is about 10 blocks from the bridge. There is another under the bridge. Actually, if you go back into Nuevo Laredo, you will have no problem turning in your permit at the border. But you had better do so and make sure they remove the sticker. Guard your receipt for this transaction with your life.

beverleywood

Mar 11, 2004, 8:11 AM

Post #4 of 11 (1128 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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Thanks for the replies. We're in Galveston right now... and off to Dallas again in a week. From either of those places, Laredo is 400 miles. And Nogales is almost on our way home, as we need to stop in Phoenix. So I guess we'll do it at Nogales. Live and learn, LOL. We got into the stream/flow at that border, I'm not sure what happened :)

mexigrl

Mar 11, 2004, 3:33 PM

Post #5 of 11 (1061 views)

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Re: [beverleywood] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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I had a problem like this last year. What I did this year was just used a new US passport. Someone had told me that the number that is associated with your vehicle is the one that is on your passport. So, new passport, new person as far as their computers go. Don't know it that is always the case but I did not encounter a problem. You could also use your birth certificate instead I would think. Just an idea!

Mexigrl

HHERRINGTON

Mar 11, 2004, 4:00 PM

Post #6 of 11 (1053 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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This indeed is a workaround the problem. However if in the future Mexico becomes more sophisted in tracking autos by passport/birth certificate etc. then Beverley might be facing a situation like Bubba experienced last month and be accused of trying to import multiple vehicles.
----------------------------------------------------

Life is too complicated to be expressed in one liners.

TomG

Mar 12, 2004, 8:38 AM

Post #7 of 11 (991 views)

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Re: [beverleywood] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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I just posted what can happen to you a few days ago under the bribes discussion.

tom

Kimpatsu Hekigan

Mar 12, 2004, 7:07 PM

Post #8 of 11 (944 views)

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Re: [beverleywood] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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At Nogales, Sonora, the *only* place you can return the vehicle sticker is at the Km 21 checkpoint which is, yes, 21 kilometers south of Nogales on the road to Hermosillo.

There is a special northbound lane set up for just this purpose. When your turn comes up, an official will approach your vehicle, read the barcode from the sticker, and verify that the information matches the description on his handheld reader device. He will then ask for the original permit document you received when you got the sticker and will physically remove the sticker from inside your windshield which he then sticks onto the permit document. He disappears in the office for a few minutes and returns with a receipt showing you returned the sticker and presumably commenced to remove the vehicle from Mexico. Keep this receipt for the next time you try to bring a vehicle into Mexico.

HTH,

-- K.H.

Before enlightenment: Chop wood, haul water.
After enlightenment: Chop wood, haul water.

mepsi

Mar 13, 2004, 5:35 PM

Post #9 of 11 (888 views)

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Re: [beverleywood] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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Hi Beverleywood;

Here's a copy of a posting I made on this subject last November.

We just went through this because, upon return from Mexico, the car was cleared by the person at the vehicle check point at Juarez but he didn't clear the vehicle in the computer. We also failed (our error) to get a receipt from him. <p>When we tried later to return with another vehicle the computer still showed the first vehicle was still in Mexico and we could not bring in another until it was cleared. We had to take the first car back to the border, go to the vehicle importation office south of Juarez, get paperwork from them then take the car back into the State police office in downtown Juarez, have it inspected, get paperwork completed by them and then take it back to the vehicle importation office and get it cleared from the computer. We can now take another car into Mexico without problem. The total cost? Nothing other than about 30 cents for photocopies. We were told there was NEVER a charge for this procedure and if asked for payment to refuse.<p>The whole thing was cordially handled but with typical bureaucracy. If you are returning to Mexico with the same vehicle you should have no problem whatsoever, other than a little time and inconvenience. Our experience was made much easier by us being accompanied by our daughter who speaks excellent Spanish from living in Puebla for seven years but should be little problem even without that.

Monte

beverleywood

Mar 14, 2004, 9:43 AM

Post #10 of 11 (845 views)

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Re: [mepsi] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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Thanks all :)

We're going to drop me, the dog and all of our loot from mexico and texas (a trunk full of everything from blue glass to texas flag lawn chairs) in a nice hotel in Nogales and my husband will do the drive back to KM21 without any "baggage" so to speak, to make it easier to cross each way in case of inspection. And I get to sit by the pool, I got the easy job. Thanks again for all your help!

Bubba

Mar 14, 2004, 9:55 AM

Post #11 of 11 (843 views)

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Re: [mepsi] Quickest border/do I really have to come back?

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No disrespect intended for Monte's experience but it has been my experience that anyone else's experience in Mexico when confronting the bureacracy may not be your experience so expect and anticipate a really bad experience. Use overlapping caution at all times.

For instance:

We just bought a new Nissan XTrail at a respected dealership in Guadalajara. We were given "temporary" papers. In Mexico, your certificate of title is a numbered factura with your name(s) on it and some other information. Review that factura as if it were the Ten Commandments. Never believe that all papers are in order just because the salesperson tells you "no problema". My wife's name was misspelled. Problem? No problema!

When do you have a problema? Ten years from now when you try to sell the car and the dealership no longer exists and neither do you nor even your car exist since your name or VIN Number on the factura is incorrect.

The salesperson will call you when your final papers are in order. In your dreams. Follow through. We couldn't even get the salesperson to call us when the car we ordered arrived. We called her and her response was, "...oh. yes, the car is here." What she didn't tell us - because we didn't ask the specific question - is that we could not pick it up because dealer prep and paperwork were not completed. We should have asked is , "Has the car arrived and is it ready for us to pick up and drive it off of the lot today if we go to the trouble of driving up to Guadalajara from Ajijic and do we need to bring additional paperwork or fees or our birth certificates plus at least three months utility bills and the title to our home plus two character witnesses? " (Just kidding but you get my drift. Be precise and literal in what you ask.)

The salesperson will explain the details of the transaction to you and make sure you are in compliance with the law. You may expect a window sticker detailing the accessories and suggested sales price of the car. It is to laugh!

Expect full disclosure on the automobile you have just purchased at a princely sum. Believe that all features you ordered on your new car actually exist. Now I am becoming hysterical.

It is both odd and fascinating that in a country where everyone winks at the law the law never winks when the smallest detail on a factura or negotiable check is detected by some bureaucrat in a bad mood dealing with a foreigner whether or not that foreigner speaks Spanish. Or, even worse, with a Mexican citizen who migrated to the United States and now wishes to move back to Mexico shows up.

All that having been said. We are pleased that we bought our new car in Guadalajara and we love living here. We are simply more cautious than we used to be.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Mar 14, 2004, 9:57 AM)